PRINCIPLES OF BREEDING 95 



nibble at the grass. A little later, he can be fed a 

 small amount of crushed oats. He must also be 

 taught, before cold weather arrives, to eat forage. 

 Keep hay or fodder where he can get at it, and he 

 will have acquired this without any teaching. It 

 is presumed that on the ordinary farm the young 

 stock come in the spring, so that his supply of feed 

 during the summer will be the milk, the grass and 

 the little grain that may be supplied. He will get 

 plenty of exercise in the pasture, the only precau- 

 tion necessary being that he be protected from flies 

 during the hot, dry weather of August and early 

 September. This is accomplished by providing a 

 dark shed, to which the dam and the young animal 

 may resort during the heat of the day. As fall 

 approaches and cold weather begins to appear, some 

 confinement will undoubtedly be necessary and the 

 young animal will have to be weaned. Begin feed- 

 ing gradually and insist on the future herd header 

 running in the open as much as possible. Nothing 

 is better than an open shed, adjacent to a pasture. 

 Feed alfalfa hay and oats, to which a little corn 

 may be added, providing this corn does not result 

 in an abundance of fat. Keep him in a good, 

 healthy growing condition without becoming over- 

 fat. Every day during the winter let the young 

 animal run out, provided the weather is not 

 stormy. He is a good deal better off in the open 

 air, where he can get exercise, than confined in a 

 stall. He must, however, always be provided with 

 a warm stable during cold, wet, stormy or snowy 

 weather. This is particularly important with sheep, 

 but should not be neglected with cattle, horses or 

 hogs. The second summer give him all the blue 

 grass pasture he wants. Let him have a little 

 clover; feed small amounts of oats all durins: the 



